Nearby facilities

Unfortunately we don't have any facilities on Northey Island.

The nearest can be found in Maldon or at the supermarket off Limebrook Way roundabout.

For dogs

We can't, unfortunately, allow dogs on to Northey Island because our breeding bird population is very sensitive. If you'd like to walk your dog along the Blackwater Estuary sea wall please park in Maldon's Promenade Park.

In winter we're home to 5,000 Brent geese along with redshank and plover

Bleak, remote, quiet - Northey is the Wuthering Heights of Essex!

For such a small visible land area, the island features a wealth of history and wildlife

Our Northey Island don’t-miss list…

The causeway

The causeway, which played its part in the Battle of Maldon in 991, is your only way onto the island unless you arrive by boat on the high tide. As you walk across it you'll hear the cries of the Blackwater birds but you may also hear other faint calls on the breeze.

Battle of Maldon

Picture the scene: the Vikings have landed on Northey. Earl Brithnoth of Essex and his army stand calling across the causeway to the 'sea pirates'. Earl Brithnoth fought bravely but lost and the course of British history changed for ever.

The Battle of Maldon's location here, in 991, makes Northey the oldest recorded battlefield in Britain. Although the battle's exact site on the island's shores has not yet been discovered standing on the causeway it's easy to imagine hearing the clash of swords and whistle of arrows in flight.

The Mistley is an old Thames barge was stranded on the saltings not after a storm but because it was going to be used as a holiday home. It would once have been working in the Blackwater Estuary carrying cargo. Now you can be the cargo and pay for a trip around the estuary.

Mud, mud, glorious mud...

The mud-flats provide a valuable habitat for many invertebrates, which attract thousands of birds every year.

While the mud at Northey Island may not be something you'd want to walk across, there are those who do. There is a famous Maldon mud race, which you may want to watch or even take part in!

You might also be interested in

Become a 'Castaway' when you get cut off by the tide on Northey Island. Join us for our annual camp out, keep an eye out for tickets going on sale next year. Enjoy live bands, beer and getting back to nature.